McCain vs Obama - How They Stand On Ten Different Issues

Very refreshing to see a very well written and accurate article that presents the correct facts as you always do Robert and a logical and well titled article unlike a recent comparison that I noticed on the same subject.

Nice Work !

Thanks for investing your time into this and try to stay as impartial as possible, which we all know isn't always easy.

The Federal Budget

McCain - Says he will balance the budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending, as well as overspending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Wants to make well-to-do Medicare recipients pay higher premiums.

Obama - Require disclosure of all Congressional 'pet projects' and require lawmakers to pay for any new spending or tax breaks with new revenue or cuts in other programs.

Any solution to the problem of "wasteful government spending" that doesn't start with cutting or at least capping military spending is, in fact, the wrong solution. The US spends more on its military than every other country on Earth combined - maybe this should be enough, and expanding the military shouldn't be necessary? Crazy, I know. Don't suggest that to Obama, who says he wants to add nearly 100,000 troops to the military.

Keep in mind, he supports that expansion AFTER he says the combat presence in Iraq - the greatest current expense the US military faces - will be cut back dramatically or even eliminated within 16 months. But yeah, he's serious about looking at wasteful government spending. McCain, too.

The Death Penalty

Obama - Supports the death penalty but has said previously he doesn't think it deters crime. He supports the right of communities to 'feel justified in expressing the full measure of their outrage' by imposing execution.

McCain - Fully supports the death penalty in America. Voted 'yes' on the 1994 Biden bill that expanded the number of offenses eligible for execution and limited appeals.

Your explanation of Obama's stance is a watered-down, trying-to-soften-the-blow way of saying he "fully supports the death penalty."

Marijuana Legalization and Medical Marijuana

McCain - Opposes both legalization and medical use. Supports the continuation of Federal raids on medical marijuana users in the 12 states that now have such laws. Has stated previously he believes it is a 'gateway drug' leading to harder drugs. Wants to expand anti-drug enforcement in countries such as Columbia.

Obama - Opposes legalization. Supports medical use and would end Federal raids. Wants to end the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses.

It's a shame Obama's so disgusting in so many more important aspects, because it's refreshing to see a candidate for federal office advocating a chance for some offenders to go to rehab instead of prison, even if Obama's advocacy for this change is only for a very small segment of the obscene number of people the US locks up in its prisons.

Taxes

Obama - Wants to let Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 expire as scheduled, which gave breaks to Americans making over $250,000 per year. Raise tax on capital gains and dividends, and give tax cuts to lower and middle-income Americans. Supports a Universal Mortgage Tax Credit of 10%. Supports basically eliminating taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 per year.

McCain - Wants Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 made permanent. Supports a simplified income tax system with two rates and a generous standard deduction. Wants to double the deduction for families. Forbid any taxes on internet service or cell phones.

Man, a cursory glance at what you've typed here might lead one to believe that an Obama presidency might get the government to stop catering to the rich so much. Then you look at his record of protecting corporations against consumers and employees - his vote in favor of the dubiously named Class Action Fairness Act is a good example - and his plan to force working Americans to grant health insurance corporations even more power in determining who does and does not deserve access to health care, and that glimmer of hope is put to rest.

That doesn't even touch his support of the aforementioned disgustingly bloated US military. How many billions of dollars is doled out to corporate leaders via that obscene budget? The way the US military budget is maintained is such a scam.

Same-Sex Marriages

McCain - Supports civil unions, but not same-sex marriage. Believes this issue should be decided by states individually, and not an Amendment.

Obama - Supports civil unions, but not same-sex marriage.

Again, same position from the two candidates.

Civil Rights

McCain - Against Affirmative Action, either in total, or the way it is implemented presently. Voted 'yes' to extend Patriot Act provisions allowing the FBI to conduct 'roving wiretaps' and access to business records.

Obama - Wants to expand the Hate Crimes statute by enacting the 'Matthew Shepherd Act' and strengthen the ability of the Justice Department to provide enforcement. Supports overturning the recent Supreme Court decision curtailing the ability of minorities and women to challenge pay discrimination. Ban racial profiling by Federal law enforcement agencies, and providing Federal incentives to local law enforcement agencies who do the same. Harsher penalties on voter fraud. Voted 'no' to extend the 'roving wiretaps' provision of the Patriot Act.

How did the two vote on the PATRIOT Act as a whole (hint: they both voted the same)? How did Obama vote on the amended FISA bill?

You've provided no links here, instead simply copying and pasting from Obama's Web site, so I don't know what you mean by "ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies." Is there a statute currently permitting it?

Health Care

McCain - Opposes universal care. Supports allowing the importation of prescription drugs to lower costs. Offers a $2,500 tax credit for individuals for health care, $5,000 for families.

Obama - Require all children have health coverage. National public-health insurance program similar to the program currently available to Federal employees. Supports universal health care. Grade hospitals on performance.

Obama does not propose universal health care. He proposes a concept close to universal health insurance. Nevermind that 25 million people in the US have health insurance and still can't afford adequate health care - no, throwing more money at the corporations that @!$%#ed things up in the first place must be the answer!

Anyway, the end result of the two candidates' positions is the same - people that couldn't afford health care before still won't be able to afford it.

Thanks Robert This article does represent alot of time and effort on your part.

Just confirms to me more that I'm making the right choice by choosing to support Obama although I suppose on a few of the issues McCain isn't as bad as I thought he was.

Nice to see something objective and just listing out the facts, even if sometimes its more the facts the campaigns present (which is what campaigning is about anyway). Some of these issues show they're not really so far apart in their goals, but differ on the means to reach them. That's how it's always been, but the partisan commentators and news media don't show that to the public. They're too busy drumming up division, err I mean ratings, err I mean advertising revenue.

Bottom line is, really, neither side is "evil".

I think if people just sat down an looked at the raw data, they'd see that for 80-90% of the issues, they could vote for either candidate. It's just that last 10% or so that drive people's decisions. i.e. someone who determines their vote on abortion, or gay rights, or Iraq, etc. But those are only singular issues, and the President has to deal with hundreds of different issues, thousands even, during his (sorry Hillary, not "her" this year) term in office.

Sometimes I wish we still elected the Pres. and V.P. the way the country did originally. Top vote getter is President; number 2 is Vice-President. I think Obama and McCain might actually work well together.

McCain - Pro-life. Said to CNN in 1999 he would NOT support overturning Roe v Wade, but in South Carolina in 2007 he said he did NOT support Roe v Wade and that it should be overturned. Voted 'no' on the Senate's 2006 fiscal year budget amendment that would have provided $100 million for teen contraceptives and education designed to reduce teen pregnancies.

Wouldn't that suggest that he's pro-abortion?

Just a note, here... Under current law, McCain's tax proposal cuts roughly $4 trillion in taxes over 10 years, while Obama's plan would cut $2.8 trillion. Under current policy, McCain's plan would result in a $600 billion loss in revenue to the government, while Obama's plan would result in an $800 million dollar increase in revenue.

Obama's plan would reduce taxes on 99% of the population, with the lion's share given to those who of necessity would be putting the money back into circulation. McCain's plan would reduce taxes on 100% of the population, with the lion's share going to people who might use it to purchase a few additional luxuries.

Obama's plan has positive or neutral impacts on anyone making $600,000/year or less. McCain's "positively" impacts everyone, but really only gets felt if you make $66,000/year or more. The more you make, the better McCain's plan treats you.

It's hard to see how McCain's plan will allow him to balance the budget. Obama's looks problematic, as well, but isn't nearly as bad, won't result in nearly as big a deficit, and actually looks as though, given current policy, it might start to reverse the bleeding at least a tiny bit.

Here are the side by side figures. Additional information is available here.

In presidential campaign what we are missing is them being honest, instead they lie through their teeth's. Expecting us to believe everything they say they will do, knowing that they won't do any of it. Obama and McCain is going after the Latino vote and telling them they will give them amnesty even knowing the American people will not accept it and also saying they need to get more job for the people below the borders. But they are not worrying about the jobs the American people are losing to companies sending them over sea, or that large corporation ask for more H1-b visa people who do not pay taxes but work cheap. They say the Free Trade Agreement is good for us, knowing it is going to take us down, so what good is either of the people being they will do nothing for us. I think both of them need to take a lie detector test as they are speaking to us.

It is a shame that they are the better our country has to offer to run for President, it not saying much for our country. Our President will be popular abroad because of what he will offer them under the table, that none of us would agree with just like the Free Trade agreement, H1-b visa people all of which has been behind our back.

Wake up you need people running for President now who will worry about this country and us, not the mid-east or Mexico or their people. The problem has been our government worry to much about helping and supporting every country but ours, that is why we are going down and they cater to the Muslims and Hispanic over the American. How many agreement have been made behind close door that we would not agree with, and how long will we be sold out.

I disagree with some of McCain's and some of Obama's plans. This is difficult. Sounds to me that Obama wants to start another draft. I like McCain's views on abortions and gay marriages but I like Obama's choice for the economy and education better.

Wow, I really enjoyed reading this. I have been confussed and unawear about were each one stood. I like aw little that each one stands for and there are something I dont like from each one. I really wish there was someone else that had all the good qualities. I dont know who I will gon for but I think Obama may have the little people more in mind then McCain and if I am wrong, please someone tell me where I am wrong.

Great article! I supported Obama before, but after reading this and a few other things, I think McCain would be better.

And we need to put money in military to have a strong military....